High Class Research Articles

Integrated approach to information support of navigation in the Arctic zone of the RF based on modern radar and navigation technologies

The existing radar and radio navigation facilities sometimes do not satisfy the increased requirements for the accuracy, efficiency and reliability of information support for navigation in the organization of movement in the rough waters of the Arctic region in difficult climatic and meteorological conditions. This article offers a comprehensive approach to the information support of navigation based on technical solutions that significantly increase the capabilities of navigation tools in the rough waters of the Arctic zone. The proposed approach to the creation of fundamentally new high-precision information tools for solving a wide range of new tasks in the Arctic zone based on radar provides a higher class of accuracy and functionality compared to those currently used. The technical requirements for radar facilities are defined and the use of a new generation of highly informative multifunctional coastal radars in combination with new mobile pilotage terminals is proposed. The application of the proposed technical solutions and the principles of building navigation systems will significantly increase the safety and efficiency of navigation in waters with increased complexity of navigation organization. The proposed approaches will ensure the solution of the such tasks as: monitoring of air, surface and ground space, local navigation system for safe navigation of ships, helicopter flight, landing of helicopters on offshore drilling platforms and ground airfields, mooring of vessels to drilling platforms and terminal berths. It also support monitoring and dispatching of ship traffic in ports and the area of responsibility of terminals, including monitoring the position of ships at anchorage. Will be sufficient simplify high-precision operational assessment of the ice situation and the weather in the radar area of responsibility, protection of offshore drilling platforms and territories of onshore terminals, information support of means of protection against potential terrorist threats.

Thomas Mann’s Moses and Sigmund Freud’s Moses and Monotheism in the context of ‘Germany’s suicide’

Written during his American ‘exile’ and depicting an alternative story of the prophet Moses, T. Mann’s little studied novella The Tables of the Law [Das Gesetz] (1943) is compared with S. Freud’s Moses and Monotheism [Der Mann Moses und die monotheistische Religion] (1939), his last work completed before his death. The author traces a number of significant parallels: in particular, Moses’s origins in the highest classes of Egyptian society. Mann sees the figure of Moses in The Tables of the Law as one of the purest and most vivid embodiments of creative principles, going back to his own period of ‘playing Goethe.’ Moses is yet another of his powerful, harmonious and optimistic characters from the 1930s–1940s (Joseph in the four-part novel Joseph and His Brothers [Joseph und seine Brüder] or Goethe in Lotte in Weimar), with roots in the majestic Dutchman Peeperkorn from The Magic Mountain [Der Zauberberg] (1924). Instead of engaging in a direct polemic with corresponding ideological dogmata, the two books written by the giants of Germanspeaking culture in Nazi times reveal a profound examination of not fully recognized and therefore still dangerous sources of Nazi ideology on the mythological level in mankind’s collective unconscious.

No Stratified Effect of Unemployment on Incomes: How the Market, State, and Household Compensate for Income Loss in the United Kingdom and Switzerland

AbstractUnemployment is a critical life event that may affect the income trajectories of displaced workers very unequally. It may lead to cumulative disadvantage and hit vulnerable groups hardest. Alternatively, it may level the playing field because higher classes have more to lose. We analyse heterogeneous effects of unemployment on income for the United Kingdom and Switzerland, using two household panels—Understanding Society 2009–2017 and the Swiss Household Panel 1999–2017—and distinguishing two sources of income: from the labour market and welfare state, at the level of individuals and households. We use a difference-in-differences design by matching unemployed to employed workers and estimating fixed-effects regressions. Results show that individual labour income drops in the 2 years after an unemployment spell by 20 and 25 per cent in Switzerland and by 25 and 55 per cent in the United Kingdom. Welfare state transfers reduce these losses by half in Switzerland, but have only a marginal impact in the United Kingdom. In both countries, income losses do not differ much across social classes. If anything, they are smaller in the working class. We thus find no evidence for cumulative disadvantage. The middle classes face a lower risk of becoming unemployed, but are not less vulnerable to its consequences.

Overview of Salvia divinorum –Substance-induced psychosis

As per the literature, humans ingest a comprehensive range of food materials including drugs along with dietary supplements which are mainly derived through medicinal plant products and modifying the purpose of the central nervous system (CNS). These psychoactive based properties are mainly attributable to the existence of plant-derived secondary metabolites. Most of the cases or studies showed the effects of these phytochemicals derived from secondary metabolites on the human CNS might be linked either to their ecological roles or molecular along with biochemical based properties are reported in case of plants along with higher animals. One of the mental health disorders, psychosis where person losses its capacity of critical thinking, they perceive things differently as compared to the people around. They see or hear things that other people cannot see or hear (hallucination) or even believe things that are not true (delusion). There are so many synthetic psychosis inducer synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) as well as semi-synthetic and natural. Psychosis is a disorder which shows the effect for long-term or sometimes for the short term on an individual. In this review we will mainly look for natural psychosis inducers like Salvia divinorum and this plant may produce some secondary metabolites. Still, many of these are found to show an effect on human health in some or the other way which may range from hallucination to organ failure. These secondary metabolites affect the hippocampus region of the human brain, which is linked with memory. It is interesting to note how one chemical is used for an organism for protection and that one chemical act as a mind-altering chemical for the higher class of organism – the humans.

Produktywność pracy w gospodarstwach rolnych w Polsce w zależności od ich wielkości ekonomicznej

<p>Uzasadnienie teoretyczne: Opracowanie dotyczy problematyki produktywności pracy w gospodarstwach rolnych. Produktywność wiąże się z optymalnym wykorzystaniem zasobów gospodarstwa rolnego. Znaczenie badań nad produktywnością pracy wynika z tego, że stanowi ona jeden z warunków rozwoju i poprawy konkurencyjności przedsiębiorstw. Gospodarstwa rolne w Polsce charakteryzują się dużym zróżnicowaniem, stąd zasadne jest prowadzenie analiz ekonomicznych dla bardziej jednorodnych grup.</p><p>Cel artykułu: Ocena produktywności pracy w gospodarstwach rolnych należących do różnych klas wielkości ekonomicznej.</p><p>Metody badawcze: Badania zrealizowano na podstawie danych europejskiego systemu zbierania danych rachunkowych z gospodarstw rolnych, tj. FADN. Zakres podmiotowy badań obejmował gospodarstwa rolne w Polsce, zakres czasowy dotyczył lat 2010–2017. W analizie uwzględniono sześć klas wielkości ekonomicznej gospodarstw rolnych, wyodrębnionych w oparciu o wartość produkcji standardowej. Ocenę produktywności pracy przeprowadzono z wykorzystaniem cząstkowych wskaźników produktywności.</p><p>Główne wnioski: Badania wykazały zależność produktywności pracy od wielkości ekonomicznej gospodarstw rolnych. W klasach od 1 do 5 we wszystkich badanych latach miał miejsce wzrost produktywności wraz z przechodzeniem do coraz wyższej klasy. W gospodarstwach najsilniejszych ekonomicznie produktywność pracy była niższa niż w klasie 5. Należy to tłumaczyć większym udziałem mniej intensywnych upraw w strukturze zasiewów tej grupy gospodarstw. Wykazano, że gospodarstwa najsłabsze ekonomicznie, tj. wytwarzające od 2 do 8 tys. euro produkcji standardowej, osiągały najniższy poziom produktywności pracy. W 2017 r. stanowiła ona zaledwie 23,7% średniego jej poziomu dla całej populacji badanych gospodarstw rolnych. Oznacza to, że siła ekonomiczna gospodarstw determinowała efektywność wykorzystania czynnika pracy. Badania potwierdziły również związek poziomu produktywności pracy z poziomem jej technicznego uzbrojenia. Wskazuje to z jednej strony na potrzebę optymalizacji zasobów pracy w rolnictwie, z drugiej zaś na konieczność procesów modernizacyjnych. Przeprowadzone badania stanowią podstawę do dalszych badań, które powinny uwzględniać większy zakres determinant poprawy efektywności wykorzystania czynnika pracy.</p>

Percutaneous coronary intervention with everolimus-eluting stents versus coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with stable angina and an isolated proximal left anterior descending artery disease

Abstract Background/Introduction Revascularization of the proximal segment of left anterior descending artery (pLAD) demonstrates an additional prognostic significance in survival for patients with multivessel disease. It is also indicated for symptomatic relief in patients with stable angina who are receiving optimal medical treatment in the presence of limiting angina or angina equivalent. Both coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are still commonly needed as therapeutic options for pLAD disease. Moreover, Everolimus-eluting stents (EES) have demonstrated superiority in safety and efficacy among other types of second or new generation drug-eluting stents. Purpose We aim to evaluate the long-term outcomes of PCI with EES compared to CABG surgery with left internal mammary artery, in patients with stable angina and an isolated single vessel pLAD disease. Methods The sample consisted of 824 patients with isolated pLAD and chronic stable angina; 445 participants were included in the EES-PCI group, and 379 were included in the CABG group. The study's primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), namely, cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI) not attributed to a non-target vessel and target lesion revascularization as a composite index. Secondary endpoints were Patient-Related Outcome (PRO; a composite index of all-cause mortality, any MI related to any coronary artery, any revascularization conducted to any coronary artery), individual components of MACEs, recurrence of stable or unstable angina or a nonfatal arrhythmia and disease progression of other lesions. For the comparisons between the two groups, chi-square tests and Fisher's exact tests, were used, as appropriate. Results During the 4.6 years of follow-up period, no statistically significant difference was observed between the two study groups in respect to the primary endpoint MACE (8.1% versus 7.4%, p=0.71). Concerning secondary endpoints, repeat revascularization (3.6% versus 2.9%, p=0.58), cardiac death (2.9% versus 3.2%, p=0.84), MI (1.6% versus 1.3%, p=0.76) and PRO (16.9% versus 17.7%, p=0.76) did not significantly differ between the two groups. Recurrence of angina was more frequent in the EES-PCI group (14.9% versus 8.4%, p=0.005) even though higher Class of angina was found less common in EES patients than in CABG patients (p<0.001). Patients treated with EES-PCI had lower rates of onset of arrhythmias compared to those treated with CABG (6.3% versus 11.9%, p=0.005). Finally, revascularization in other than target lesion was more frequent in the stent than in the surgery arm (6.3% versus 3.2%, p=0.04); as a consequence, higher rates of revascularization in any vessel was recorded in the PCI group than the CABG one (9.9% versus 5.8%, p=0.03). Conclusion PCI with EES seem to have similar long-term clinical outcomes compared with CABG in patients with isolated pLAD disease. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

The influence of myocardoprotection on the course of postinfarction chronic heart failure

Objective. To study the effect of Thiotriazoline in patients with post-infarction chronic heart failure (CHF).
 Materials and methods. We examined 46 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) who had undergone myocardial infarction. The average age was 50.8±3.2 years; men – 32 (70 %), women – 14 (30 %). All patients were examined in the form of anamnesis and examination, general clinical and biochemical studies, electrocardiography. The assessment of CHF manifestations in patients of both groups was carried out according to the New York classification based on the results of the 6-minute walk test. The distribution into two groups was carried out according to the following parameters: the 1st group included 26 (56.5 %) patients (men – 19 [73.1 %], women – 7 [26.9 %]), who, along with basic therapy, received Thiotriazoline at a dose of 8.0 intravenously jet for 10 days; the 2nd (control) group included 22 (43.5 %) patients (men – 14 [63.6 %], women – 8 [36.4 %]) who received standard therapy (β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, calcium antagonists, nitrates). Distribution by class of CHF at the time of inclusion in the study was observed in 1st group in 21 (80.7 %) patients: I functional class (FC) – 2 (9.5 %), II FC – 11 (52.4 %), III FC – 6 (28.6 %) and IV FC – 2 (9.5 %). In 2nd group – (77.3 %) patients: I FC – 3 (17.6 %), II FC – 6 (35.3 %), III FC – 7 (41.2 %) and IV FC – 1 (5.9 %) patients. According to the Minnesota questionnaire in group 1, the quality of life indicators (average value in points) were 71.1±1.8 points (p<0.05). The 2nd group had 67.9±1.9 points (p<0.05).
 Results and discussion. Positive hemodynamics and assessment of CHF manifestations by FC served as a clear statement of improvement in the quality of life. In the group receiving Thiotriazoline, the number of patients with II FC increased from 11 (42.3 %) to 14 (54 %), I FC – from 2 (9.5 %) to 6 (23 %) compared to the initial data due to patients from III FC and IV FC. The number of patients with III FC decreased to 2 (7.8 %) and IV FC – to 1 (3.8 %), and in the control group there was a slight negative dynamic (III FC – to 2 (9.5 %) and IV FC – without changes). The quality of life according to the Minnesota questionnaire indicated a positive trend. In group 1, the quality of life indicators improved from 71.1±1.8 to 53.3±0.6 points (p<0.01); in group 2 – from 67.9±1.9 to 63.3±1.9 points (p<0.05).
 Conclusions. Thiotriazoline is a cytoprotector of the highest class, in particular, a myocardoprotector, which, when used (from 10 days in a hospital and then up to 1 month), improves the metabolism of the heart muscle, stabilizing intracellular mechanisms. Thiotriazoline is indicated for all patients with IHD who have suffered a myocardial infarction in the early stages of CHF.

Do Handcycling Time-Trial Velocities Achieved by Para-Cycling Athletes Vary Across Handcycling Classes?

The classification system for handcycling groups athletes into five hierarchical classes, based on how much their impairment affects performance. Athletes in class H5, with the least impairments, compete in a kneeling position, while athletes in classes H1 to H4 compete in a recumbent position. This study investigated the average time-trial velocity of athletes in different classes. A total of 1,807 results from 353 athletes who competed at 20 international competitions (2014-2018) were analyzed. Multilevel regression was performed to analyze differences in average velocities between adjacent pairs of classes, while correcting for gender, age, and event distance. The average velocity of adjacent classes was significantly different (p < .01), with higher classes being faster, except for H4 and H5. However, the effect size of the differences between H3 and H4 was smaller (d = 0.12). Hence, results indicated a need for research in evaluating and developing evidence-based classification in handcycling, yielding a class structure with meaningful performance differences between adjacent classes.

Predictive value of a false-negative focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST) result in patients with confirmed traumatic abdominal injury

ObjectiveTo investigate if patients with confirmed traumatic abdominal injury and a false-negative focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST) examination have a more favorable prognosis than those with a true-positive FAST.MethodsThis study included 97 consecutive patients with confirmed traumatic abdominal injury (based on computed tomography [CT] and/or surgical findings) who underwent FAST.ResultsFAST was false-negative in 40 patients (41.2%) and true-positive in 57 patients (58.8%). Twenty-two patients (22.7%) had an unfavorable outcome (defined as the need for an interventional radiologic procedure, laparotomy, or death due to abdominal injury). Univariately, a false-negative FAST (odds ratio [OR] 0.24; p = 0.017) and a higher systolic blood pressure (OR, 0.97 per mmHg increase; p = 0.034) were significantly associated with a favorable outcome, whereas contrast extravasation on CT (OR, 7.17; p = 0.001) and shock index classification (OR, 1.89 for each higher class; p = 0.046) were significantly associated with an unfavorable outcome. Multivariately, only contrast extravasation on CT remained significantly associated with an unfavorable outcome (OR, 4.64; p = 0.016). When excluding contrast extravasation on CT from multivariate analysis, only a false-negative FAST result was predictive of a favorable outcome (OR, 0.28; p = 0.038).ConclusionTrauma patients with confirmed abdominal injury and a false-negative FAST have a better outcome than those with a positive FAST. FAST may be valuable for risk stratification and prognostication in patients with a high suspicion of abdominal injury when CT has not been performed yet or when CT is not available.

Social class and fertility: A long-run analysis of Southern Sweden, 1922–2015

This paper examines social class differences in fertility, using longitudinal micro-level data for a regional sample in Sweden, 1922–2015. Using discrete-time event history models, we estimated the association between social class and parity-specific duration to next birth, adjusting for household income in separate models. Social class was associated with fertility quite independently from income and the association was both parity-dependent and sex-specific. For transitions to parenthood, higher class position was associated with higher fertility for men and lower fertility for women before 1970, but then converged into a positive association for both sexes after 1990. For continued childbearing, a weak U-shaped relationship before 1947 turned into a positive relationship for second births and a negative relationship for higher-order births in the period after 1990. These patterns likely reflect broader changes in work–family compatibility and are connected to profound shifts in labour markets and institutional arrangements in twentieth-century Sweden.

Can school-based, health behavioural interventions tackle health inequities in childhood?

Abstract Background To improve the health situation of children in primary school, many school-based interventions that are aimed at changing health behaviours, are being set up. Prior to knowing the (long-term) effectiveness of such intervention, we set out to examine whether there is room for such interventions to also tackle the health gap between children from high and low socioeconomic backgrounds. Methods Data from the Dutch quasi-experimental Health Primary School of the Future were used. All children from eight primary schools were included in the period 2015-2019. In the first cross-sectional phase, we studied whether there were socioeconomic differences in various health outcomes (e.g. body mass index) and whether these were smaller in children in the oldest groups (highest classes). In a two-year longitudinal approach, it was studied how socioeconomic differences in health outcomes developed in two years time and whether health behaviours could “explain” any socioeconomic differences in the outcomes. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used, including multilevel variants thereof, as well as mediation analyses. Results Both the cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses indicated substantial and consistent socioeconomic differences in various health outcomes. The socioeconomic differences in health appeared stronger in the oldest children (highest classes). Due to only small socioeconomic differences in health behaviours, such behaviours did not mediate the socioeconomic differences in the children's health outcomes. Conclusions The findings indicate substantial socioeconomic differences in health in primary school. That being longer at school did not attenuate the socioeconomic differences in health and that health behaviours did not mediate the socioeconomic differences in health suggests that there might not be much room for school-based, health behaviour interventions to easily tackle socioeconomic differences in health in childhood. Key messages We found substantial socioeconomic differences in child health in the Netherlands. But we found only little evidence that primary school-based, health behavioural interventions will easily tackle socioeconomic differences in child health.

Tree Species Structure, Composition and Regeneration in Van Panchayat Forests of Kumaun Himalaya, India

Present investigation was carried out to assess the structure, composition and regeneration of tree species along the altitudinal gradients of van panchayat (VP) forests in Kumaun Himalaya. The objective ofpresent study was to assess the VP forests in the context ofexisted disturbance level based on tree canopy cover, density, collection and lopping pressure in each selected VP forest. The density of trees, saplings and seedlings was 747-910, 507-1290 and 1553- 6660 ind.ha' in sal, 443-683, 137-207 and 1003-8843 ind.ha ' in pine and 773-873, 237-937 and 1193-1233 ind.ha ' in oak mixed VP forests, respectively. The sal mixed (site-1) and oak mixed (site-5) VP forests had shown good regeneration. The teak mixed (site-2), pine mixed (site-3 and site-4) and oak mixed (site-6) VP forests had depicted the fairregeneration, it showed that the existed seedlings were unable to shift in the higher class i.e. sapling stage. The girth class structure in site-1 and site-5 VP forests had clearly indicated good regeneration potential. In contrast, site-3 VP forest had depicted the fair regeneration because ofanthropogenic disturbance resulted change in the structure of VP forest. Thus it is very imperative to upgrade the management strategies of VP forests so that these forests could be conserved and managed in ajudicious and sustainable ways and also increase the active participation of villagers for conservation, management and efficient use of forest tree resources.

Compression hosiery for venous disorders and oedema: a question of balance

Compression therapy for venous and lymphatic conditions may be delivered via a range of treatment modalities using many different technologies, depending on the patient's condition and needs. Clinical decision-making relies on accurate assessment of the patient, their presenting and underlying clinical condition, skill and training of the applier and the available resources. However, changes in the patient's condition or lifestyle may necessitate re-evaluation of the treatment pathway. Generally, compression bandages and Velcro wraps are used in the intensive acute phase of treatment, with self-management using compression hosiery or wraps being used for long-term maintenance to prevent recurrence. Although guidelines recommend the highest class of compression hosiery for maximum effectiveness, clinical evidence shows practical challenges associated with application and tolerance of higher pressures and stiffness. An audit of a new type of compression garment was conducted, and it showed that incorporating stiffness into circular knitted hosiery helped overcome some of these challenges with improvements in limb size, skin softening and wound size. Additionally, self-management was facilitated by the ease of donning and doffing.

ANÁLISE DA VULNERABILIDADE NATURAL À CONTAMINAÇÃO DA ÁGUA SUBTERRÂNEA: COMPARATIVO ENTRE A METODOLOGIA GOD E DRASTIC

A água é um recurso natural imprescindível para todas as formas de vida, porém, atividades antrópicas, aumento populacional e urbanização estão alterando a qualidade dos mananciais superficiais, tornando indisponível para determinados usos. Surge como alternativa para complementar ou até mesmo substituir o uso da água superficial a água subterrânea, porém, e necessita-se de um controle para que atividades antrópicas não venham a contaminar o aquífero. Nesse sentido, esse estudo tem por objetivo comparar os métodos DRASTIC e GOD na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Vacacaí-Mirim, no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Ambos os métodos tiveram suas classes de vulnerabilidade entre insignificante e extrema, com maior predominâncias da vulnerabilidade média (DRASTIC) e alta (GOD). O método GOD concentrou 89,91 % da vulnerabilidade em 2 classes (Média e alta), já o DRASTIC apresentou 66,15 % nessas mesmas classes. Assim, o DRASTIC, na área de estudo apresentou, uma maior variabilidade das classes, indicando resultados mais consistentes, e com parâmetros obtidos a campo. Porém, o GOD é mais simplificado pelo número de variáveis necessárias para sua aplicação. Assim, destaca-se a importância da aplicação dessas metodologias para fornecer subsídios para tomadas de decisões para gestores dos recursos hídricos.

Measurement and Estimation of Annual Variability of Water Loss at Njuwa Lake Using Class ‘A’ Pan Evaporation Method

Aim: To measure and estimate the annual variability of water loss at Njuwa Lake using Class ‘A’ Pan Evaporation Method.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Njuwa Lake in Yola South LGA, Adamawa State Nigeria between November, 2019 and May, 2020.&#x0D; Methodology: Direct measurements of morphometric characteristics of the lake were adopted using simple bathymetric method. Evaporation rates data and other related weather variable for the periods of ten (2007-2016) years were obtained from Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority located near the lake where the volume of water in the lake and the annual water loss were estimated using FAO estimate of water requirement procedures.&#x0D; Results: The results revealed that Njuwa Lake has morphometric characteristics of 1, 325 m average length, 180m average width, average depth 3.4 m, 238, 500 m2 of surface area, 1,445 m shoreline length and 0.834 m shoreline development with an estimated water volume of 810, 900 m3 respectively. Similarly, highest Class ‘A’ Pan evaporation rates were found in the year 2011, 2007 and 2008 with the corresponding total annual values of 2688.06 mm, 2403.64 mm and 2389.63 mm having an estimated values of water lost from the lake of 641, 102.310 m3 (79.07%), 573, 268.140 m3(70.7%) and 569, 926.755 m3 (70.29 %) correspondingly. Conversely, the year 2013,2012 and 2014 were found with the lowest measured Pan evaporation rates (1585.00 mm, 1611.54 mm and 1663.27 mm) with an estimated water lost on the lake of about 378, 022.500 m3 (46.6 %), 384, 352.290 m3 (47.4 %) and 396, 689.895 m3 (48.9 %).&#x0D; Conclusion: The rate of water loss was through evaporation was estimated to be greater than the stored water in the Lake in most of the years under study which led to untimely drying of the lake thereby affecting the irrigation farming in the area. Valuable strategies of water use efficiency and irrigation scheduling for effective utilization of the limited stored water in the lake for sustainable food production should be therefore adopted. The research work, however, need further work to make a comparison between the class ‘A’ Pan method and other empirical models method to revalidate the reliability.

An Optimal Pricing Strategy with Cannibalization

Cannibalization in pricing happens when the market share of some product categories decreases as a result of changes in the prices of other product categories. Despite the conventional wisdom of revenue management in avoiding cannibalization, we show that under certain conditions, it can be a part of an optimal pricing strategy in revenue maximization. In this paper, we focus on a capacity- constrained dynamic pricing problem faced by a firm in selling differentiated classes of products with price ranges. In case there are price overlaps across product classes, the higher class will cannibalize the market share of the lower class. We present real- world examples of such situations. Using a Markovian decision problem (MDP) approach, we determine the optimal price ranges for product classes. The result shows that having overlaps in price ranges is part of the optimal pricing strategy. Next, using data collected from a European storage rental company, we use simulations to better understand how firms can benefit from our recommendations. Our results show that when the capacity constraints are tight in the lower class and less stringent in the higher class, in other words when firms profit from scattering the demand over different product classes, cannibalization is part of the optimal pricing strategy. Firms can use these insights to nudge their customers to act in a way that makes both customers and the firm better off.

What should governments do to deal with the economic crisis? Exploring Portuguese laypeople’s support for government strategies

ABSTRACT The economic crisis that hit European countries has been the object of various studies, aiming to understand how laypeople construct their opinions and guide their actions to deal with the difficulties stemming from the implementation of austerity measures. The present study analyses the responses given to an online survey by 630 Portuguese adults. Focusing on their support for possible government strategies to manage the crisis, it examines the changes which have occurred over time in their opinions, and compares them with opinions expressed in other European countries hit by the crisis. The main results suggest that support for strategies differs according to the attribution of responsibility for the crisis either to the people or to supranational institutions. In line with the findings from other countries, conformity to European Union demands is supported by higher class right-wingers, rationalization of the public sector by somewhat insecure centrists, and exit from the European Union by more vulnerable left- and right-wingers. Results also show a global decrease in support for the European project, which questions the way the EU deals with the problems of its member states as well as the ideals it pursues.

PELAKSANAAN PEMBELAJARAN MUTHOLA’AH DI MA IBNUL QOYYIM PUTRI KELAS TAKHASUS TAHUN AJARAN 2018/2019 (ditinjau dari kemampuan tarjamah)

This research is motivated by the lack of reading and translating ability and the lack of utilizing attractive learning methods. Muthola'ah learning requires careful reading skills and Tarjamah learning methods to be able to understand the meaning contained in muthola'ah text. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the muthola’ah learning process in the takhasus class in order to be a new reference material for muthola’ah subject teachers at MA Ibnul Qoyyim Putri. This research is a qualitative field research, with data collection methods using observation, interviews, tests, and documentation. The number of students who took the tarjamah test was 18 students. The results showed that the muthola’ah subjects in the takhasus class for the students were, contributing more that with muthola’ah learning could increase students' understanding of Arabic learning, adding vocabulary as provisions to enter the next higher class. The skills achieved with muthola’ah learning include speaking, listening and writing skills. In terms of tarjamah ability, this muthola'ah subject indeed concluded that although teachers often translate from Arabic to Arabic, students can translate into Indonesian with tarjamah lafzhiyah and tahdluriyah types from three written tarjamah tests with the weight of tarjamah question sheets that are different and increase from meeting to meeting. The test results reached an average grade of 95.2. While the tarjamah fauriyah takhasus students test results reached an average grade of 82.8.&#x0D; Keywords: Muthola’ah, Tarjamah, MA Ibnul Qoyyim Putri.

A trend of increasing burned areas in Iraq from 2001 to 2019

Wildfires have an important role in the ecological process affecting ecosystems at multiple spatial scales. MCD64A1 500 m burned area product is used in this study to document trends of fire events from 2001 to 2019. The research aims to analyze the trend of burned areas in the country. Iraq is selected as study area of the research because of dramatically increasing the number of fires in the country. The study found that the lowest amount of burned areas were located in the center and southwest, while northeast and north faced most of the fires. The trend of burned areas in Iraq was an increase of 71.7 km2 per year, and, principally, in the last years, burned areas increased by 1363 km2. The most extensive burning areas occurred in the Ninawa Governorate (29%). In 2019, burned areas increased to around eight times compared to the yearly average. During 2019, one of the highest classes which contain burned area is “Cropland, rainfed” with 4366 km2 burned. High maximum air temperature and wind speed are the main factors that contribute to increasing burned areas; however, high precipitation and air pressure lead to a reducing amount of burned areas. The rapid increase of fires in the country as a result of burn crop field residues will lead to worsening air pollution and likely decrease forest area in the future.

A Qualitative Analysis of Sawn Timber Obtained from Various Sites Throughout Poland in the Aspect of Polish and European Standards of Quality

The paper attempts to compare the classification of sawn timber based on the norms used in Poland (PN—75/D—96000) and those valid in the European Union (PN—EN 1611—1). For the research, long pine logs were taken from five research areas in Poland. The obtained sawn materials were divided according to their origin into lengths of the logs. It was shown that regardless of the origin of the stand, knots are the dominant defect, while the role of other wood defects is much lower. Direct comparison of the classification according to Polish and European standards is very difficult due to the differences in the acceptable range of individual wood defects. The raw material classified by the Polish standard shows a higher proportion of sawn timber of higher classes than the one classified by the European standard, so the Polish standard is less rigorous than the European one.